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Design/methods: The study was a randomized single-blinded experimental design in New York state of 202 long-term, community-living, indwelling urinary catheter users, half in the self-management group and half in the control group receiving usual care. Self-reported data were obtained for both groups through an initial home visit interview and 6 bimonthly phone call interviews, in which participants kept a simple catheter calendar over 12 months of follow-up. The final sample was 150, for a 74% completion rate.
Results: The longitudinal GEE analyses for repeated measures indicated that there was a significantly positive (P= 0.017) decrease only in percent of blockage in the intervention group in the first 6 months of the study, but this effect did not last for 12 months. Comparisons of between and within group rates at intake, for the first 6 months, second 6 months, and full study of 12 months provided additional information and indicate that both groups improved over time for all catheter problems’ outcomes. Catheter-related quality of life did not differ significantly for group comparisons at baseline, 6, or 12 months’ follow-up.
Conclusion: Both groups appeared to have improved during the study. A simple to use catheter problems’ calendar and the bimonthly interviews might have functioned like a modest form of a self-monitoring intervention for controls. Intervention participants might have needed additional support/teaching from the study nurse beyond the 4 months’ timeframe for the intervention. Teaching self-monitoring skills to long-term urinary catheter users could help minimize catheter problems, and there might be additional benefit in promoting optimal and consistent fluid intake.